The author is a Forbes contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer.

Loading ...

Loading ...

This story appears in the {{article.article.magazine.pretty_date}} issue of {{article.article.magazine.pubName}}. Subscribe

Should it come as a surprise that in the 21st Century many of the world’s “greenest” companies operate in dirty industries like mining, manufacturing and energy? Sustainability experts are now saying that the companies that can do the most to support environmental causes and help fight global warming are the companies that operate in the dirtiest industries.

After all, the companies that make the biggest environmental impact are in the best position to help cut their emissions levels and work to mitigate the effects of climate change. In a recent speech, Christina Figueres, the executive secretary of climate change at the U.N. explained, “it is alarming to admit that if the community of nations is unable to fully stabilize climate change, it will threaten where we can live, where and how we grow food and where we can find water.”

Unless companies in “dirty” sectors sign up to reduce their pollution levels and help minimize and mitigate the negative environmental effects of their business operations, “green” initiatives will never be able to pack much of a punch in the fight against climate change.

At a recent event on sustainability at the Americas Society (click link for webcast) in New York City, Zoe Tcholak-Antitch, the director of the Carbon Disclosure Project's global investor program explained that "it's up to business to provide solutions because climate change won't wait for governments to get their acts together."

It is therefore important that global companies take action to implement solid environmental programs. Many of the world’s leading companies have already adopted high-tech environmental management systems and offer the public detailed descriptions on their pollution levels, carbon dioxide output, and energy use. Some of these companies also publish specific targets for reducing energy use, C02 emissions, and minimizing the negative environmental impact of their operations.

These companies that are leading the way in environmental management and disclosure are setting a new example of what it means to be “green.” Obviously, many environmental activists will argue that the world’s biggest companies still have a long way to go when it comes to environmental issues, but these companies are all making important progress.

Image via Wikipedia

After all, less than one third of the world’s 4,200 largest publicly traded companies disclose their environmental performance records to the public. Less than a quarter of these 4,200 corporations disclose their greenhouse gas emissions levels. Furthermore, less than a fifth of these companies have disclosed specific targets for their pollution and greenhouse gas emission reduction programs.

Although corporate environmental initiatives have sometimes been dismissed by critics as superficial “greenwashing,” corporate PR to mask dirty operations, other analysts are now arguing that companies that are placing environmental management and corporate social responsibility at the center of their business plans, are actually helping to generate value for shareholders.

In a recent article, Maureen Baird, a business development executive at IBM South Africa explained that “being green has implications on the financials of an organization – especially for those organizations which are heavy energy users- they not only save costs, but also meet their green targets and move in- line with governance requirements.” Far from being a superfluous PR game, green initiatives are now becoming a “business imperative,” she added.

The ten companies featured in this slideshow are world leaders when it comes to environmental management and disclosure. These ten companies have all implemented globally recognized environmental management systems, publish detailed disclosure of their environmental performance records, and have pledged reduce their emissions and pollutions levels.

[Data for this article was provided by GovernanceMetrics International, a leading corporate governance research firm.]